The abysses vanished before the Lord, and darkness was destroyed by his appearance.
Error erred and perished on account of him, and contempt received no path, and it was submerged by the truth of the Lord.
He opened his mouth and spoke grace and joy, and he spoke a new song of praise to his Name.
And he lifted up his voice to the Most High, and offered to him those who had become sons through him.
And his face was justified, for thus his Holy Father had given to him.
Come forth ye that have been afflicted, and receive joy.
And inherit your souls by grace, and take to you immortal life,
And they condemned me when I rose up, me who had not been condemned.
And they divided my spoil, though nothing was due to them.
But I endured and held my peace and was silent, that I might not be moved by them.
But I stood unshaken like a firm rock, that is beaten by the waves and endures.
And I bore their bitterness because of humility, that I might redeem my people and instruct it.
And that I might not make void the promises to the Patriarchs, to whom I was promised for the salvation of their seed. Alleluia.
The abysses vanished before the Lord, and darkness was destroyed by his appearance.
“The Lord” spoken of here is Jesus, as will be seen by the context later on. Jesus eliminated all that separated human beings from themselves, one another, the universe and God. He further banished all ignorance and brought the light of perfect knowledge.
Error erred and perished on account of him, and contempt received no path, and it was submerged by the truth of the Lord.
Error was revealed by the light of Christ and melted away at his presence. Disregard and disrespect toward God and his Christ found no place to stand, much less prevail, and only the truth of the Lord, the truth of Spirit, remained for those who believed.
He opened his mouth and spoke grace and joy, and he spoke a new song of praise to his Name.
Jesus told of the love of God for mankind and of his blessings of grace by which sorrow was banished and joy established in the world. Spiritual consciousness was renewed in humanity and new vistas of spiritual understanding were opened by him. Hearts were turned to God in love and praise and away from the world’s false premises and promises.
And he lifted up his voice to the Most High, and offered to him those who had become sons through him. And his face was justified, for thus his Holy Father had given to him.
Discipleship became the path to the Father, for through Jesus, the door (John 10:7, 9), they could return to God. And in their own Christhood his disciples became themselves the proof that Jesus was Messiah-Christ.
Come forth ye that have been afflicted, and receive joy. And inherit your souls by grace, and take to you immortal life.
Now Jesus speaks to us, calling us to step out into his light and pass from sorrow and pain into the joy of the Father. Our lost souls will be returned to us through divine grace, and abiding in the consciousness of our eternal spirits we shall dwell in the light and life of immortality.
And they condemned me when I rose up, me who had not been condemned.
At his appearing among us, he who was sinless was condemned as a sinner by sinful men. Those who were laden with transgressions condemned him who was without fault.
And they divided my spoil, though nothing was due to them.
Although Israel was the heritage of Jesus, the leaders of external religion captured and enslaved Israel and its people, even though they had no claim upon them.
But I endured and held my peace and was silent, that I might not be moved by them. But I stood unshaken like a firm rock, that is beaten by the waves and endures.
Jesus refused to enter into controversy and conflict with them, but remained intent on the salvific work for which God had sent him. Therefore they could not deflect him from his purpose in coming among us.
And I bore their bitterness because of humility, that I might redeem my people and instruct it.
For the sake of humanity Jesus endured the scorn and hatred of the wicked, that he might deliver those whom he was destined to save from ignorance and evil and illumine by the light of the truth he would teach them.
And that I might not make void the promises to the Patriarchs, to whom I was promised for the salvation of their seed.
All this was done to fullfil the promises made by God through his prophets to the forefathers of Israel from Abraham onward, that as Moses lead Israel from Egypt, so Jesus the Messiah would lead Israel from this world into the divine kingdom.
Read the next article in The Odes of Solomon for Awakening: The Odes of Solomon: 32